Manufacture of shoes



Aug. 15, 195$ ,4. A. HELL 2518,54?

' MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed July 23,- 1947 s Sheets5heet :1.

jwerzbr' Jzsepm W WWW Aug. 15, 1950 J. A. HILL MANUFACTURE OF SHOES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1947 J, f flii f Aug 15', E950 Filed July 25, 1947 J. A. HELL MANUFACTURE OF SHOES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 15,1950

orslce fj- MANUFACTURE or sHoEs Joseph A. Hill, Newburyport; Mass; Application July 23,1947, Serial No. 762,914

This invention relates to an improvement in footwear and its principal objects are to provide a shoe or the like article of footwear which is of strong and durable construction but extremely flexible and possessing a high degree of wearing comfort, and to provide an efficient and economical method of manufacturing such a shoe.

Further objects relate to various features of construction and the method of manufacture and will be apparent froma consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the outer face of an insole having its forepart marked to delineate the line of application of the reinforcing elements;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showin the reinforcing elements applied;

Fig. 3 is a view of the inside of a shoe upper having the lasting allowance at its forepart markedto correspond with the markings on the insole;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective showing the manner in which the shoe upper and insole are connected prior to lasting;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lasted shoe;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 5-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a completed shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the shoe shown in Fig. 7 with the forepart broken away to show the appearance of the inside and Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 7.

, In accordance with the present invention a suitable sock-lining or insole material; such as leather, a cork-leather or a cork-fabric composite, is dinked or cut out to provide either a full length, a three-quarter or a half-length insole or sock lining which, if desired, may be provided with a fibre or leather reinforcing shank tuck. The insole, however produced, is preferably provided with markings along the opposite marginal portions or" the underside of its forepart,

these markings being spaced inwardly fromabout s of an inch to one inch, a preferred spacing being about inch in from the adjacent edge of the forepart, and they may extend fromadjacent the toe portion to the ear of the ball portion, or to the rear of the shank portion if extra reinforcement is desired.

The inner longitudinal edges or marginal portions of a pair of reinforcing strips or tapes are stitched, stapled or otherwise secured to the underside of the opposite marginal portions of the insole member along the lines defined by the above-mentioned markings. The length of the reinforcing strips preferably corresponds to the length of the markings and the width of the 4 'Claims. (:01. 3 -195) strips may vary from about one-eighth inch to, one inch, depending upon the spacing of the marginal markings from the edges of the insole; for example, a one-half inch marginal marking on? the insole would preferably require a three eighths inch tape'or strip, thereby leaving a oneeighth inch clearance. Although a plain fabric" reinforcing tape may be used, it is preferable to. employ a tape having a thermoplastic or other suitable adhesive along its outer marginal portion on the side facing the insole.

After the reinforcing strips have been applied] to theop-posite marginal portions of the insole; as above-described, the latter is thus' ready for assembly with an upper which may be either a closed toe and/or back, an open toe and/or an open back, or any other style, and in any case the upper may be prepared in'accordance with conventional practices. In order to insure proper attachment of the insole and upper, the lasting allowance at the opposite forepart portions are marked to correspond with the markings of the insole, i. e., the lengths of the markings are preferably the same as those on the insole and likeij' wise the spacings of the markings 'fromthe outer edge of the lasting allowance preferably correspend with the spacings on the insole, but in any case the spacing is sufficient to insure adequate lasting allowance. The outer edge or marginal portions of the reinforcing strips are stitched, stapled or otherwise secured to the opposiie mar; ginal portions of the marked lasting allowance along the lines defined by the markings, thus" providing a fitted upper with an attached'insole.

The assembled upper and insole are then ap plied about a last, during which operation the f' reinforcing strips are folded longitudinally on themselves so that the folded strips are interposed between the lasting allowance of the upper? and the marginal portions of the insole. Whrej as is usually preferred, a thermoplastic adhesive reinforcing tape is used, sufficient heat may be applied to the inturned lasting allowance of the lasted shoe prior to the outsole attaching operation, thereby to activate the adhesive to cause" the body of the tape to become adhesively united to the marginalportions of the upper, thus insuring a more reliable attachment of the reinforcing tape thereto. The lasted shoe may then be fin-" ished in the usual manner. Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated what is nowconsid ered a preferred procedure for making an oxford type shoe, the numeral 1 designates a full length laminated insole composed of an inner layerof, suitable fabric 2 adhesively united to an outer layer of sheet cork 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and9. The opposite marginal portions of the underside of the forepart of the insole are marked as shown, a and 6 in. Fig. l and the irmerlongitudinal edges of a pair of reinforcing tapes In and l I are secured to the insoles along the markings by a single line of stitching I2 which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8; extends irom the toe endof one strip acres? an" ariiat path at the rear ball per-1.

tion of the insole to the toe end of the other strip. The tapes in and II are provided with a layer of thermoplastic adhesive I4 (Fig. 2) along their outer marginal portions and menses are 'so applied that the adhesive layer M facesthe outer side of the insole.

The opposite marginal portiofis 6r lasting al lowance of anmpper l5, prepared. in accordance with conventional practice, are provided with n cu.

the f markings I 6 and llVwhifi correspondrespectively lease t we e md le i wer '4.

ly to unite the cohtiguous portions of r the l'asti ng allowance of the upper with thebody the taper D uring' the lasting operation the tapes' are; folded longitudinally upon themselves and he fielded tapesare interposed petween the mstmg allowance of the upper and the marginal portions ofthe insole; as shown inFigi 9; The usual padding or filler 25 (Fig; 9) I ma then ]oe applid to the rorepart cavity as defined by the interned lasting allowance; aiterwhich an outsole S and heel- I-l may be applied in accordance with conventional practice;

The completed shoe (Fig; '7) has th external appearance of a conventionally-lasted shoesueh as a McKay ar-id its interior; as shown in Fig 8,- has the relativelyjlat'a-nd smooth characteristics of the so called California shoe, but does not require the-use of a so'ck linin Since a shoe con"- st pctgdin accordance with the present invention einhodies the use ofa relatively flexible insole securely attached to the upper a hi h degree of negiiliility and 7 wearing comiert is assured. Moreover; the strips of tapes firmly anchor the r and insole together an inot onl reinforee urling up after the shoe has been I 11 e? ha ed h ip w ii n er;- the use of relat ively weal; insole material as sheet cork, l g t f -abri c, s k-i;vedleather; eta; w bout the necessity of providing reinforcements 5f, efnbld upper and insole cause an outward pull sol t appended claims;

finial-ca parts; hut also prevent the margins of the fteta se elements, ag that the lasting er the w' evieaises aay danger of huclilingthe in- 4 7 part, securing'the outer longitudinal marginal portions of said reinforcing strips to corresponding parts of the inner face of the lasting allowance of an ;upper; lasting the assembled insole 5 nienili'er arilufipe'r" so as to cause said reinforcing strips to fold longitudinally upon themselves, the folded reinforcing strips being interposed between the lasting allowance'of the forepart of sari upper-end the marginal portions of. the forepart of said insole member, and thereafter completiijig the shoe.

'2. The method er making a shoe which comprises providing an insole having permanently seoiired thereto reinforcing strips at the opposite marginal portions of the underside of the it)" the rad ating strips having an adef the lasting allowance of ed insole member and upper so prises providing an i e ha in se" 'rfd theret reifiioremg stri marginal porno of the rind J sea, the reinforcing strips having a thri'nopl'istfi adhesive coating along their outer marginal per-- lions (iii the side facing the meme, stitching the outer longitudinal marginal p rtion of said reinforcing strips to corresponding parts of the inner face of the lasting summers of anulbbr,

lasting the assembled iasaie member and" iipper so as to cause said reinforcing strips to fold Ion gitudir ially upon themselves, the folded reinforcing strips being interposed between the-lasting allowance of the forepartof said upper the marginal se ner of the foifpart of said insole member, applying si'iiiicint heat tofs'aid strips to cause said adhesive coating to pin-be the body of the reinforcing strips to the lasting allowance, and thereafter completing the shoe. I c

.4'.'A slid "i'riprising an insole items-er; emfoi'cing strips having are of their edges secured to the opposite i part of said iiisolefiiiri 0H er iriurned fiargihs nii rovide a reinrereement for t eseparts.

seamstress err-an irigrerefenees are or reeere the fiie oi -this patch-t: 5 mi TEE STATES PATENTS his guns are g theiiwarmer-girlie more 8 'j i the insole, 'scurir'igth' o ii ng'itligiiifial arginai portion of said ing strips t-e fispbfidihg ara cf the inforcing strips to raid longi- JOSEPH A,

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